2027 Social Security & VA Disability COLA Predictor
Built on official CPI-W data (series CWUR0000SA0) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Social Security Administration's third-quarter averaging method.
2027 COLA increase: full prediction & FAQ →SSA Announcement Countdown
2027 COLA announcement expected mid-October
The Social Security Administration announces the COLA shortly after the September CPI-W release. The timer shows the expected mid-October window.
Based on currently available official CPI-W data. This is an estimate. The official COLA is announced by the Social Security Administration after third-quarter CPI-W data are available.
All three Q3 months released. Awaiting the official SSA announcement.
Q3 CPI-W math
- Previous Q3 avg (2025)
- 317.265
- Current Q3 avg (2026)
- 328.7463.6%
- Difference
- +11.48 idx
- Estimated COLA
- 3.6%
- Official Q3 months available
- 3 of 3
Estimated 2027 COLA
3.6%
Very High Confidence
Latest CPI-W
330.654
0.66%September 2026
Current Q3 avg
328.746
July + August + September ÷ 3
Previous Q3 avg
317.265
2025 comparison year
Next CPI-W release
Nov 12
October 2026 data due
Data source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Last checked 2026-10-19T13:23:18.046Z.
Government Formula Estimate
Released data onlyUses only CPI-W months already published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics — 3 of 3 third-quarter months available.
Forecasted COLA
ProjectionFills missing July, August or September values using recent CPI-W momentum: monthly change 0.66%, 3-month trend 0.36%/mo, 6-month trend 0.37%/mo, year-over-year 3.9%.
COLA CPI-W Tracker
317.265 → 328.746| Month | 2025 CPI-W | 2026 CPI-W | Monthly change | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July | 316.349 | 327.104 | 3.40% | Actual |
| August | 317.306 | 328.481 | 3.52% | Actual |
| September | 318.139 | 330.654 | 3.93% | Actual |
| Previous Q3 Average (2025) | 317.265 | |||
| Current Q3 Average (2026) | 328.746 | |||
Latest CPI-W Data
Using latest available BLS data- Latest CPI-W value
- 330.654
- Reference month
- September 2026
- Publication date
- Not published by series feed
- Series
- CWUR0000SA0 · U.S. City Average, All Items
- Source
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Last updated
- 10/19/2026, 1:23:17 PM UTC
Social Security COLA Calculator
Estimated 3.6% COLAEnter your gross benefit before Medicare premiums or withholding.
VA Disability COLA Calculator
Estimated 3.6% COLAVA disability compensation receives the same COLA as Social Security.
VA Disability Rates — 2026 vs estimated 2027
Dependent rates apply to ratings of 30% and higher.
| Rating | Current rate | Estimated new rate | Monthly increase | Annual increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | $186.92 | +6.50 | +78.00 |
| 20% | $356.66 | $369.50 | +12.84 | +154.08 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $572.36 | +19.89 | +238.68 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $824.49 | +28.65 | +343.80 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,173.68 | +40.78 | +489.36 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,486.68 | +51.66 | +619.92 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,873.55 | +65.10 | +781.20 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,177.83 | +75.68 | +908.16 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,447.34 | +85.04 | +1,020.48 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,080.37 | +141.79 | +1,701.48 |
CPI-W Index History
Series CWUR0000SA0 · third-quarter months highlighted
Historical COLA Increases
Select a year to see the CPI-W averages behind it
2026 COLA
2.8%
Q3 avg 2025
317.265
Q3 avg 2024
308.729
Announcement date
October 24, 2025
How can we predict COLA before CPI-W is released?
The government does not publish CPI-W in real time. Each monthly reading arrives weeks after the month it measures.
However, many of the prices that move CPI-W — fuel, food, rent, vehicles, medical care — are measured and published on their own schedules, and CPI-W moves closely with the broader CPI-U index.
This app tracks those inflation signals, compares them with how CPI-W has historically responded, and estimates what the next CPI-W reading is likely to be. That estimate is then run through the Social Security Administration's third-quarter formula to produce a live COLA projection.
The prediction is not official. The official CPI-W value always comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the official COLA always comes from the Social Security Administration.
How the COLA Is Calculated
Social Security and VA disability increases are set by law using the CPI-W — the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. The Social Security Administration averages the CPI-W for July, August and September, then compares that average with the same third-quarter average from the most recent year that produced a COLA. The percentage increase, rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent, becomes the COLA. If prices fall, the COLA is 0.0% — benefits are never reduced.
- CPI-W, not CPI-U. Only the CPI-W series is used for benefit adjustments, and it is not seasonally adjusted.
- Same COLA for VA. VA disability compensation is adjusted by the identical percentage each December 1st payment cycle.
- Announced in October. The SSA publishes the official figure once September CPI-W data are released.
- Comparison year matters. When a year produces a 0.0% COLA, the comparison base carries forward to the last year with an increase.
Official Sources
- BLS — CPI-W series CWUR0000SA0Monthly Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
- SSA — Cost-of-Living Adjustment informationOfficial COLA announcements and historical adjustments
- VA — Veterans compensation ratesCurrent monthly disability compensation rate tables
- BLS — CPI release schedulePublication dates for each monthly CPI report
Disclaimer
All figures shown before the official announcement are projections based on published CPI-W data and may differ from the final adjustment. Estimated and forecasted values are not official government figures.
This website is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, or any other U.S. government agency. Always confirm benefit amounts with the agency that pays them.